George dtteyee



(No Model.)

n G. DURYEB.

Metallurrgic Furnae.

N. 236,562. Y Patn\ted Jan. 11,188l..

rb m

UNTTnn STATES PATENT @Finca GEORGE DURYEE, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY.

METALLURGIC FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,562, dated January 11, 1881.

Application filed July 1, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE DURYEE, M. D., a citizen of the United States, residing at Rahway, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallurgie Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a certain process and apparatus whereby ores may be more readily reduced and the metals extracted, either in the metallic form, or else as chlorides, oxides, or other useful compounds, the construction of the furnace being such that the material to be treated is handled automatically throughout, and subjected at will to either a reducing or oxidizing action, according to the result desired.

My improved process consists in subjecting the ores, while suitably agitated, to a blowpipe ame, thereby driving olf the metallic compounds, which are then conducted into suitable chambers, and there precipitated or condensed, either chemically or otherwise, as hereinafter more particularly described. The apparatus for accomplishing this consists, iirst, in a furnace, an inclined revolving` ore-cylinder, and a hydrocarbon-feeder and air-blast nozzle united, as hereinafter described, so as t0 produce a combined jet of air and liquid fuel or gas, which impinges upon the flame of the fuel-furnace in such a manner as to drive a blow-pi pe flame into the revolving ore-cylinder.

My improvements further consist in combining, with an air and hydrocarbon blast and an ore-cylinder, an adjacent fuel-furnace having a transverse bridge separating the furnace proper from the part adapted to receive the discharge of the cylinder, as hereinafter specified.

My improvements lfurther consist in the combination, with the aforesaid revolving orefurnace, fuel-furnace, air-blast pipe, and hydrocarbon-feeder, of a hopper and a suitable condensation chamber or chambers for the treatment of auriferous sulphurets and argentiferous ores.

My improvements also consist in combining with said fuel-furnace, revolving cylinder, and condensation-chamber a blast-pipe leading from the top of the back of the condensation-chamber throughout the whole length of the same, and entering the fuel-furnace at a point opposite the lower end of the cylinder, so that the double result of heating the blast and condensing the gases is attained, thus effecting the most economical utilization of the heat. The condensing-chamber has an exhaust-fan at its rear end.

My improvements further relate to a condenser consisting of an asbestus blanket suspended in the path of the vapors and kept moist with a chloride solution.

In order that my invention may be fully nnderstood, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which my improved furnace is represented by a longitudinal section.

A represents a cylinder, constructed with an outside shell, a, of boiler or other iron, with a lining, a', of re brick or clay or black lead and asbestus, and mounted with its axis inclined out of the horizontal on supportingrollers B. Rotation is communicated to the cylinder from a steam-engine or other motor through a pulley, Cf, on a shaft, c', which carries a pinion, c, gearing with a spur-wheel, C, encircling the cylinder. The lower end of the cylinder A rotates in a suitable bushing, D, in the wall of the fuel-furnace E, while its upper end projects within the primary condensingchamber' F.

G represents a blast-pipe, communicating at the rear of the furnace with a blower, G. The said pipe delivers a blast at g', under the fuel in the furnace O, and terminates in a nozzle, g, in the wall of the fuel-furnace E, at a point immediately opposite the lower end of the cylinder A. A pipe, H, communicating with an Voil-reservoir, H', and terminating in a nozzle,

h, placed concentrically within the nozzle g, serves to supply the blast with petroleum or other liquid hydrocarbon or gas, so as to form, in combination with said blast and the lire in the furnace E, an extremely hot and powerful blow-pipe ame, which enters and extends a greater or less distance within the cylinder A, the length of the flame being regulated by the strength of the blast. A stop-cock, 7L', in the pipe H serves to regulate the supply of liquid fuel, and thus enables the operator to modify the blast and change it at will to either a re- IOO ducing or oxidizing Haine, according to the result desired. v

The ore is fed into the upper end of the cylinder A by means of a hopper, I, having a curved or inclined spout., fi. Itis then caused to slowly descend against the blow-pipe llame by the rotation of the cylinder, and the greater part of it is finally discharged into the rear of the fuel-furnace at J, unless it contains vaporized substances, which are driven into the condensation-chamber F, from whence they pass through the additional condensing-chambers K L, the non-condensible products escaping, with the smoke, up the stack M. A transverse bridge or partition, N, in the fuel-furnace separates the part J, into which the melted ore is discharged, from the part O, in which the solid fuel burns. rllhe slag maybe drawn oft' and the metal run out from the receptacle J in any suitable manner. The portion O may be provided with a suitable grate, under which may be introduced a nozzle, communicating with the blast-pipe G, so as to at't'ord a means of urging and controlling the combustion in the fuel-furnace.

One or more asbestus blankets or curtains, I), hung in the condensing-chambers and kept saturated, by means ot' tank Q, with a solution of sodium chloride, serve to precipitate silver or copper as chlorides; or, it' fed with a solution of sodium nitrate, will collect the sulphurous-acid gas and form sulphuric acid; or the silver and copper may be precipitated in the chamber F and the sulphur-ic acid in the chamber K, while still other substances may be collected in chamber L.

Wood, coke, or pumice-stone may be substituted for the asbestus blankets, if preferred.

L represents an exhaust-fan.

The condensation-chambers are separated from each other by transverse bridges l l, spaces between being iilled with coke, mineral wool, orother porous material.

Immediately over the chamber J, I provide a hopper, R, closed at bottom by a valve, S, operated by rod 1', which hopper is designed to be supplied with carbon, which may be fed at will into the chamber J, for the purpose ot' deoxidizin g the ores, or with salt to chloridize. The blast-pipe G, extending, as it does, the whole length of the condensation-chambers, tends to cool the said chambers and at the same time heat the blast in the most effective manner.

The operation is as follows: A tire is first started in the fuel-furnace E, and continued until the furnace has reached a white heat, when the air-blast and oil-supply are turned on, which, together with the flame of the fuelfurnace, form a blow-pipe flame' that, entering and passing through the rotating cylinder A, soon heats it to a high temperature, after which the ore is allowed to iiow in from the hopper I. As the cylinder rotates the ore is gradually fed downward against the blow-pipe ame, and, before reaching the lower end of the cylinder, is completely fused, and all vaporable products driven oft' into the condenser F. If the valuable part of the ore passes off as vapor the slag falls into the chamber J, and is drawn therefrom at intervals, while, if the metal to be extracted is not vaporized, it will be discharged with the slag, and may be drawn oft', after settling, in the usual way.

In the reduction of sulphuret ores the coinbustion of the sulphur adds considerably to the heat in the revolving cylinder, and aids materially in the fusion ofthe material. The sulphurous-acid gas resulting from such cornbustion passing into chamber F, or any of the chambers K Il, may be converted into sulphuric acid by being broughtjnto contact with a solution of sodium nitrate fed onto an asbestus blanket, or allowed to tlow over coke, wood, mineral wool, pumice, or other suitable material, as already described. Ifcopper or silver ores are being treated the oxides may be driven off and the metals precipitated as chlorides by means of a solution of sodium chloride. Zinc, lead, and other metals may be driven oif and condensed as oxides.

In the treatment of aurii'erous and other ores sodium chloride maybe blown in with the blast, the intense heat ot' the blow-pipe flame serving to generate therefrom chlorine gas, which, uniting with the metals, will form chlorides that may be condensed in the chamber F.

The condensations in the condenser are treated as follows: It'l lead ores are under treatment, the lead fumes are condensed as sulphates and oxides, to be remelted in crucibles with charcoal. If the lead ores carry silver, the chlorine, with the blast, eliminates the silver as a chloride, which settles to the bottom of water-tanks provided to catch it in'the condenser or outside. Said chlorine precipitate, settling to the bottom of the tank, is to be dried and fused in crucibles with carbon and flux, to obtain metallic silver. It copper and gold are in the ores, the chloride ofcopper, as well as chloride of gold, being in solution above, the silver precipitate is to be used over again on the asbestus blankets until a saturated solution is got, when the gold may be precipitated with oXalic acid, or sulphate ot'iron, or metallic copper may be separated with metallic iron suspended in the solution. Then the chloride of gold may be evaporated to dryness and fused in the Crucible with flux and carbon.

In volatilizin g metals from their ores I nd the required heat variable. Mercury is distilled olf at 4000 to 6000 Fahrenheit; tin, zinc, and lead from their ores at 6000 to 10000 Fahrenheit; antimony, at 10000 to 15000 Fahrenheit 5 silver, at 15000 to 20000 Fahrenheit;

copper and gold, with chlorine, at 20000 tov 30000 Fahrenheit; without chlorine, at 40000 to 540000 Fahrenheit.

I have entirely decomposed chloride of sodium by the intense heat in this furnace on a IOO IIO

large scale. Therefore I produce my chlorine by decomposing salt as it is fed into carbonfeeder R, and this gas passes up into the cylinder. The process of decomposing chloride of sodium and the manufacture of carbonate or caustic soda will be made the subject of a separate application.

I use the term blow-pipe strictly in its technical sense-not to signify merely a blastpipe, but a pipe producing a jet of air which impinges transversely on a llame in an adjacent fuel-furnace so as to produce a blow-pipe flame.

By the expression compound blow-pipe77 l refer to a jet of combined air and liquid or gaseous fuel driven across the flame in the fuel-furnace, which `lame maybe produced by solid fuel, oil, or gas.

l am aware that jets of steam and oil, and of steam and pulver-ized coal, have been used in furnaces for roasting and reducing ores, and these, therefore, I do not claim.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The method of recovering metals from their ores which consists in volatilizing them by feeding the ores into the upper end of an inclined revolving cylinder7 subjecting` them, while agitated, to the heat of a blow-pipe flame produced by the injection of a combined jet of air and oil or gas laterally against the liame of an adjacent fuel-furnace, in connection with chlorine, until the volatile constituents of the ore are vaporized, and then conducting the vapors to a suitable condensing-chamber and condensing them, all as set forth.

2. The combination, with the fueLfurnace O and hearth J, of the air-blast G g, and oil or gas feeder H h, arranged to apply to the side of the flame of the fuel-furnace a combined jet ot' air and Iluid fuel, and produce, with the liame of the fuel-furnace, a blow-pipe llame, as described.

3. The combination of the fuelt'urnace O, compound blow-pipe G g H h, and revolving` ore-cylinder A, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

et. The combination of fuel-furnace O, compound blow-pipe Gr g H 7L, carbon or chloride feeder R, and a suitable condenser, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a furnace, an ore-cylinder, and a condensing apparatus consisting of one or more blankets of noncombustible material, against which the fumes impinge, and a device for keeping them moistened with a chloride solution or other liquid, as explained.

6. The combination of the furnace and condenser, and a blast-pipe extending from the back of the condensation-chamber through the whole length of the same and entering the fuel-furnace at a point opposite the lower end ofthe cylinder, accomplishing the double purpose of heating the blast and assisting the condensation of the gases, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE DURYEE, M. D.

Witnesses H. A. ME'roALr, F. J. HUMPHREY. 

